North Manitou Island advice

“I am planning a trip to North Manitou later this month. Can anyone offer any advice/reccomendations about places to explore, where to set up camp, things to bring or leave behind. Any info. would be much appreciated!!”

“Bring bug spray and guard your food well from racoons and ground squirrels/chipmunks. The little chipmunks have no fear and will chew into your tent or pack to get at your food.”

“Every place on the island is beautiful. Water is harder to come by (along w/ places to pop a tent) on the North side of the island. There are some do-sys of cliffs and sand dunes to go down to get to the lake.

Lake Manitou is extremely buggy and mucky (at least in wet times). Try to camp elsewhere.

The area around Swenson's barn is crowded but worth camping near, it's absolutely gorgeous!

If you are on the island in the time that you can walk to the South point (where the plovers nest, usually closed for their breeding season), do! It's a really cool place.

Know that the entire island is covered with poison ivy and the 'squitos are vicious. It's really a lovely place though and worth it.

If you have any speciffic questions about certain areas fire away. Birch and I have been there 5 times and covered most of the island.
last edited: 6/07/05 11:03:12 AM”

“Thanks for the good info Sass! Have you camped at Fredrickson place? I have heard that is a very nice place as well. Also, are the "pot holes" worth taking a look at?”

“You know, I've heard the potholes are a great day trip, but no water is available there. We haven't ever been up to check them out, unfortunately.

Fredrickson's is awesome, but again, one of the busier places to camp. The rules on the island are getting much stiffer about how close you can camp to eachother and the water so it may be better now. I'd camp there again!”